Can I pick tenants?

windmilllane

Our house is vacant again so I am advertising it today. Preferably I'd like to get professional couple. I know I am legally obligated to give rent allowance but can I decide who to give house to. I intend to get 2 references but any other advice please from landlords here

Musketeer4

Of course you can. It's you house. You don't have to just let to the first eejit who rings up.

You can pick whoever you want and exclude whoever you want as long as you don't make it blindingly obvious that you are filtering on the basis of the 9 criteria in the equality act or rent allowance. You can discriminate and filter, but you just have to be cute about how you do it. Just ignoring someone is usually grand or telling them, Oh I've already let it.

Jen44

of course!!

Graham

You can pick tenants, you cannot discriminate against tenants claiming rent allowance.

At the same time you are under no legal obligation to pick a specific potential tenant just because they are in receipt of rent allowance/housing assistance etc.

Baby01032012

Once you don't put " rent allowance not accepted" in your add...which people still do. This is leaving you open to prosecution if the welfare recipient is so inclined.

FAILSAFE 00

I like to give them spears and watch them fight to the death to secure the accommodation :P

Last person standing gets the room.

Grolschevik

FAILSAFE 00 wrote: »

I like to give them spears and watch them fight to the death to secure the accommodation :P

Last person standing gets the room.

As long as they're not bleeding too much. Gotta think about the old 'wear and tear'...

Musketeer4

You'll have to charge them extra deposit if the bleed.

Just tell everyone who views that someone else has first refusal who saw it before them. Then pick who you want and tell the rest the first person took it.

pc7

Say you want current jobs reference and previous job (if only 'new' in it), along with 2 months deposit, they'll give you the choice on who you want in your property. It will be likely only working professionals who can supply this.

windmilllane

Thanks for all the replies. We previously got one months rent as deposit. Do others charge a higher deposit? I just want to make sure we do all this legally

Eric Cartman

insist on employer references , 1 month deposit is usual but if your rental is under the RA threshold for the area i'd bump that to two months.

Cuddlesworth

windmilllane wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. We previously got one months rent as deposit. Do others charge a higher deposit? I just want to make sure we do all this legally

Honest answer, a higher amount tends to weed a fair amount of the bad tenants. No legal standard for deposit.

A lot of landlords I know are now asking for 2-3 months deposit and a rent paid in advance.

Bargain_Hound

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Honest answer, a higher amount tends to weed a fair amount of the bad tenants. No legal standard for deposit.

A lot of landlords I know are now asking for 2-3 months deposit and a rent paid in advance.

Sorry OP - this is not aimed at you.

Isn't there no wonder we have so many accommodation problems. Greedy rents on top of the above highlighted.

With the current average rental prices for a 2/3 bed, you could be talking ~€6k up front there in Dublin. That is enough to almost wipe out any chance for a lot of young families there.

sheesh

Bargain_Hound wrote: »

Isn't there no wonder we have so many accommodation problems. Greedy rents on top of the above highlighted.

what makes them greedy?

Hollister11

Ask for the first month's rent, the last month's rent and a deposit.

This prevents tenants leaving and using the deposit for the last month's rent, leaving you to cover any potential damage done. And only working professionals could realistically afford this.

Bargain_Hound

sheesh wrote: »

what makes them greedy?

I knew that was coming. Pick or choose your word to describe it.

It doesn't take a lot of research to see how much rent prices have increased in Dublin in the last few years. You can blame a lack of supply but lets be honest - its landlords who choose their own price

Arcade_Tryer

sheesh wrote: »

what makes them greedy?

Of course they are greedy.

But they are not to blame for being greedy.

athtrasna

darlett wrote: »

As in all Landlords are greedy? Do go on please...

Mod note

Please don't. The thread has been sufficiently derailed already. If you want to continue to discuss this please take it to pm. Thanks

Kings Inns or bust

OP it's a frequent mistake made that people believe they can not discriminate. Of course you can discriminate, you have too. You simply can't discriminate on a number of grounds, all fairly obvious. You have to be careful that you're not blatantly indirectly discriminating. For example you'll accept Irish people but no one with a O' surname or any gingers! On the balance of probabilities, the jig would be up...

If you're preference is a professional couple, as long as you treat everyone else the same - as far as you can and I suggest open viewing facilitate that - you may choose whom you wish as long as you dont exclude anyone on the basis of a delimited ground. Try and keep an open mind.

pc7

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

A lot of landlords I know are now asking for 2-3 months deposit and a rent paid in advance.

Its become much more common now to ask for 2 months, as mentioned stops tenants using deposit as last months rent, weeds out undesirable tenants (in some cases, and yes there are undesirable landlords too). Also with lots of horror stories of tenants refusing to pay rent for upto a year and the RTB process taking so long, its a good deterrent. A house/apartment is an asset, a highly valuable one, you have to do what you can to protect it and your investment. Some of the larger companies are doing this from what I've heard from friends (eg investment companies who own full blocks etc.).

Ashbx

2 or 3 months rent as a deposit.....that is ridiculous!

I am a professional working as a legal executive for the last number of years and I still wouldn't be able to afford 2/3 months rent deposit as well as that months rent!

OP if you want to go down that route, that's your choice but just giving you my opinion as a "professional "on a decent wage myself, I wouldn't even consider giving you that much deposit, so I think you may be limiting yourself a bit too much. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't consider it because I would immediately assume you are hard work to deal with as a landlord. Just as landlords jump to conclusions about "non-professional" tenants....tenants will judge a landlord just as quickly.

newacc2015

Bargain_Hound wrote: »

Sorry OP - this is not aimed at you.

Isn't there no wonder we have so many accommodation problems. Greedy rents on top of the above highlighted.

With the current average rental prices for a 2/3 bed, you could be talking ~€6k up front there in Dublin. That is enough to almost wipe out any chance for a lot of young families there.

Can you name another European country where the private rental market is supposed to provide vast amounts of affordable housing? No, as that is the Government and local authorities jobs. But when Landlords want to charge a rent that takes into account the massive taxes they pay, all their expenses etc they are greedy? People need to understand the state is supposed to provide affordable housing, not private landlords.

In Germany where nearly all accommodation is unfurnished, tenants get credit checks etc a deposit of 2/3 months is the norm. Yet you think its is unreasonable for a landlord in Ireland who might have well over €10k in furnishings and no way to check his tenants creditworthiness to ask for a deposit to minimise the risk of non-payment of rent or damage? There are countless stories of Landlords not having tenants pay rent for up to a year and not being able to get any money from them when they move out. At least 3 months deposit protects them from some of this fall out

If you arent happy with private landlords being business people(who are selling up in vast amounts as rental properties are not profitable enough), focus on getting the state to provide more social housing...

Lux23

To be honest I wouldn't mind pay the first and last month's rent up front and a months rent as a deposit. Its actually handier in the long for tenants to have the last month paid. The thing I don't understand is though, the economy is much better so landlords shouldn't be as sensitive as they were say five years ago.

Walter H Price

windmilllane wrote: »

Our house is vacant again so I am advertising it today. Preferably I'd like to get professional couple. I know I am legally obligated to give rent allowance but can I decide who to give house to. I intend to get 2 references but any other advice please from landlords here

you cant advertise it, but you get to choose who you rent too.

To be honest its stupid you cant just advertise what you are specifically looking for because its literally wasting time for everyone who falls outside what you ideally want sowing up and viewing etc when unless there is no one fits what your looking for they don't have a chance of getting the place.

Its like posting a job description with no piece on whats required for the role re:experience or qualifications, just wasting peoples time applying

pilly

You can absolutely pick your tenants, it's up to you who lives in your house. However just be careful in the advertisement. You can't advertise for working professionals.

pilly

newacc2015 wrote: »

Can you name another European country where the private rental market is supposed to provide vast amounts of affordable housing? No, as that is the Government and local authorities jobs. But when Landlords want to charge a rent that takes into account the massive taxes they pay, all their expenses etc they are greedy? People need to understand the state is supposed to provide affordable housing, not private landlords.

In Germany where nearly all accommodation is unfurnished, tenants get credit checks etc a deposit of 2/3 months is the norm. Yet you think its is unreasonable for a landlord in Ireland who might have well over €10k in furnishings and no way to check his tenants creditworthiness to ask for a deposit to minimise the risk of non-payment of rent or damage? There are countless stories of Landlords not having tenants pay rent for up to a year and not being able to get any money from them when they move out. At least 3 months deposit protects them from some of this fall out

If you arent happy with private landlords being business people(who are selling up in vast amounts as rental properties are not profitable enough), focus on getting the state to provide more social housing...

Totally agree. In Canada it's standard for accommodation to be unfurnished and pay 1st and last months rent in advance plus deposit and none of it is returned if the tenant breaks the lease. Things are very much in the tenants favour in Ireland.

Walter H Price

pilly wrote: »

Totally agree. In Canada it's standard for accommodation to be unfurnished and pay 1st and last months rent in advance plus deposit and none of it is returned if the tenant breaks the lease. Things are very much in the tenants favour in Ireland.

i would actualy toatly prefer if aprtments just came unfurnished , the second had wrecked aul crap in most places is a pain and somtimes getting the landlord to take it out so you can replace it is nearly impossible.

were lucky at the minute we got our landlord to take basically everything out and replaced it with our own new furnishings.

pilly

Walter H Price wrote: »

i would actualy toatly prefer if aprtments just came unfurnished , the second had wrecked aul crap in most places is a pain and somtimes getting the landlord to take it out so you can replace it is nearly impossible.

were lucky at the minute we got our landlord to take basically everything out and replaced it with our own new furnishings.

Agree in some cases Walter but it's not very convenient for the likes of students or whatever who don't want to invest in a lot of furniture or indeed someone who doesn't intend on staying longer than a year or so in a place. It's a lot of added expense and yet people are giving out about upping a deposit.

I'm lucky in a sense I suppose in that most the furnishing in my current place was fine and whatever I've bought myself I've plenty of room to store the landlords furniture.

Cuddlesworth

Ashbx wrote: »

2 or 3 months rent as a deposit.....that is ridiculous!

I am a professional working as a legal executive for the last number of years and I still wouldn't be able to afford 2/3 months rent deposit as well as that months rent!

OP if you want to go down that route, that's your choice but just giving you my opinion as a "professional "on a decent wage myself, I wouldn't even consider giving you that much deposit, so I think you may be limiting yourself a bit too much. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't consider it because I would immediately assume you are hard work to deal with as a landlord. Just as landlords jump to conclusions about "non-professional" tenants....tenants will judge a landlord just as quickly.

2 months deposit and rent paid in advance is 50% more cash required then normal. 3 months deposit is two times the old "normal" amount. You should work on your savings.

pc7 wrote: »

Its become much more common now to ask for 2 months, as mentioned stops tenants using deposit as last months rent, weeds out undesirable tenants (in some cases, and yes there are undesirable landlords too). Also with lots of horror stories of tenants refusing to pay rent for upto a year and the RTB process taking so long, its a good deterrent. A house/apartment is an asset, a highly valuable one, you have to do what you can to protect it and your investment. Some of the larger companies are doing this from what I've heard from friends (eg investment companies who own full blocks etc.).

Spot on, having 6k of somebody's money immediately rules out so many of those nightmare tenants. Plus even your normal tenants are much more careful about how they treat the property and their tenancy.

Walter H Price

pilly wrote: »

Agree in some cases Walter but it's not very convenient for the likes of students or whatever who don't want to invest in a lot of furniture or indeed someone who doesn't intend on staying longer than a year or so in a place. It's a lot of added expense and yet people are giving out about upping a deposit.

I'm lucky in a sense I suppose in that most the furnishing in my current place was fine and whatever I've bought myself I've plenty of room to store the landlords furniture.

There really should be seprate specific studen accomodation , but that a whole other argument.

It would be handy if there were at least more unfurnished options like if you look on Daft there few and far between , it would be one way of landlords filtering out people they didnt want too , i mean like you said an unfunished place wont apple to those on welfare or low income , Students , or people only looking for a one year and out type lease ... so if you want to only attract professionals with decent incomes who are planning on renting in the one place for a few years, leaving the place unfurnished could nearly gaurentee you those type of tennants will be the only ones that come for viewings etc

pc7

Ashbx wrote: »

OP if you want to go down that route, that's your choice but just giving you my opinion as a "professional "on a decent wage myself, I wouldn't even consider giving you that much deposit, so I think you may be limiting yourself a bit too much. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't consider it because I would immediately assume you are hard work to deal with as a landlord. Just as landlords jump to conclusions about "non-professional" tenants....tenants will judge a landlord just as quickly.

Last letting my bil did he had prospective tenants offering him 2 months deposit, it depends on the house standard, area, demand. While you may think the landlord is difficult or limiting themselves I think in the current market it is something they can do to protect themselves and the asset.

Walter2016

Walter H Price wrote: »

There really should be seprate specific studen accomodation , but that a whole other argument.

They can't build them fast enough - planning granted for student accommodation to hosue over 7,000 students all for completion within 12-18 months.

As for the OP -

a. The property being looked after - previous landlord reference required and you MUST check it out.

b. You want to be sure you will be paid and bills will be paid. Proof of employment or other means of where the funds come from and six months utility bills from previous tenancy.

c. Gut feeling. Remember its your property, so liking your tenants and them liking you can be very important.

pc7

Also check Facebook, we had prospective tenants look amazing on paper, while checking references, checked their open facebook pages and they were hard core party central going by photos. Yes, fakebook and all that mightn't be how they really where, but we ruled them out. That house is in a very settled road, with neighbours we know (who are on the older side) and we didn't want to cause hassle. So checked and gave it to those next on the list.

Zillah

pilly wrote: »

Totally agree. In Canada it's standard for accommodation to be unfurnished and pay 1st and last months rent in advance plus deposit and none of it is returned if the tenant breaks the lease. Things are very much in the tenants favour in Ireland.

Really? Because I rented twice in Vancouver and A) furnished every time, first month in advance with a simple deposit, and C) it is illegal for the landlord to keep any of the deposit without the tenant's permission. The landlord has to take them to court to keep a penny of it without mutual agreement.

I also had several friend renting apartments and they all came furnished too.

Zillah

Walter2016 wrote: »

six months utility bills from previous tenancy

What on earth is the point of that?

Graham

Zillah wrote: »

What on earth is the point of that?

I guess it's an indicator that they've been there at least 6 months and they've paid the bills.

tuisginideach

You can accept replies only by email (set up a new email account specifically for the rental) - ask for a phone number and for some details of the no. of people who will be tenants / their employment etc. You can weed out easily by phoning only your choice of replies.

housetypeb

"Sharing with professional/s" is a helpful hint to prospective tenants too.

pilly

Zillah wrote: »

Really? Because I rented twice in Vancouver and A) furnished every time, first month in advance with a simple deposit, and C) it is illegal for the landlord to keep any of the deposit without the tenant's permission. The landlord has to take them to court to keep a penny of it without mutual agreement.

I also had several friend renting apartments and they all came furnished too.

Toronto completely different so.

TheDoc

Ashbx wrote: »

2 or 3 months rent as a deposit.....that is ridiculous!

I am a professional working as a legal executive for the last number of years and I still wouldn't be able to afford 2/3 months rent deposit as well as that months rent!

OP if you want to go down that route, that's your choice but just giving you my opinion as a "professional "on a decent wage myself, I wouldn't even consider giving you that much deposit, so I think you may be limiting yourself a bit too much. Even if I had the money, I probably wouldn't consider it because I would immediately assume you are hard work to deal with as a landlord. Just as landlords jump to conclusions about "non-professional" tenants....tenants will judge a landlord just as quickly.

Have to agree here.

I'm a professional also on a good salary, but I wouldn't want to deal with a landlord looking for that sort of arrangement. As above would ring alarm bells of someone difficult to deal with, and whilst I can happily deal with potentially dodgy landlords acting lose with a one month deposit, I simply wouldn't want to risk providing a landlord that sort of capital.

But sure its basically the wild west out there with **** all "real" regulation when it comes to renting, so I'm sure your in reality you can basically do what you want to fit your requirements.

As like the second post on the thread mentions, openly flaunting you just discriminate and some tips for how to discriminate. So yeah, do what you like really

newacc2015

TheDoc wrote: »

Have to agree here.

I'm a professional also on a good salary, but I wouldn't want to deal with a landlord looking for that sort of arrangement. As above would ring alarm bells of someone difficult to deal with, and whilst I can happily deal with potentially dodgy landlords acting lose with a one month deposit, I simply wouldn't want to risk providing a landlord that sort of capital.

But sure its basically the wild west out there with **** all "real" regulation when it comes to renting, so I'm sure your in reality you can basically do what you want to fit your requirements.

A landlord could lose tens of thousands from damage/loss of rent from a dodgy tenant. There is nothing dodgy about protecting yourself from risk with a higher deposit

For someone on about regulation, you dont seem to know much about it. Or anything about it...
There is plenty of regulation to protect the tenant. In fact most landlords will tell you the tenancy laws only serve to protect tenants from dodgy landlord. If a landlord unfairly withholds your deposit it is very easy to get it back.

Here is another fact 99.7% of tenancies end with no deposit dispute. Out of those few hundred cases over deposits brought to the RTB every year. Only about 40% of deposits were entirely unfairly withheld. So about 99.85% of tenancies end with no deposit disputes.

mahamageehad

Of course you can pick tenants, but again don't be obvious about it in the ad. I viewed an amazing 2 bed apartment in Kilkenny about 2 years ago. Not sure if it's changed but small apartments were like gold dust at the time. We were two female professionals and had two months deposit on cash with us as well as references. The landlord said straight out to us that they were looking for a family and that we likely wouldn't get it. I'd rather have known that in advance to be honest so I didn't waste my time.

While I agree that a landlord has to protect their investment, anyone looking for 3 months rent up front would be out of the question for me. I've never been late with rent and some trust is required on both sides. To be honest I even feel the employers reference is a touch too far, I turned down an apartment that asked me for the last 3 months worth of bank statements!!! That's ridiculous in my opinion!

gctest50

windmilllane wrote: »

Our house is vacant again so I am advertising it today. Preferably I'd like to get professional couple. I know I am legally obligated to give rent allowance but can I decide who to give house to. I intend to get 2 references but any other advice please from landlords here

Sell all the stuff in it on Adverts.ie / donedeal and rent it unfurnished

Think of the bliss : no more phone calls about broken tumble dryers n stuff

Bonus : will probably sort your "which tenant to pick" worries - you won't need 3 months rent / holding their cat hostage etc

Graham

TheDoc wrote: »

But sure its basically the wild west out there with **** all "real" regulation when it comes to renting

How does that opinion align with the articles in todays news:

Tenants, who owe their landlord almost €12,000 in unpaid rent, also trashed the furniture in the house they still live in, the Circuit Civil court was told on Thursday.

That there is precisely why many landlords feel they have no choice but increase deposits. Even then, how far do you think 2 months deposit stretches when faced with a non-paying tenant who could stay in residence rent free for 1 - 2 years then trash the house?

tuisginideach

mahamageehad wrote: »

We were two female professionals and had two months deposit on cash with us as well as references. The landlord said straight out to us that they were looking for a family and that we likely wouldn't get it.

I don't rent to 2 females either (nor to a family for that matter) - '2 females' often means '2 females' and their boyfriends/girlfriends/partners will be there regularly.

ted1

windmilllane wrote: »

Our house is vacant again so I am advertising it today. Preferably I'd like to get professional couple. I know I am legally obligated to give rent allowance but can I decide who to give house to. I intend to get 2 references but any other advice please from landlords here

An employers reference is always a good one to ask for.

pilly

tuisginideach wrote: »

I don't rent to 2 females either (nor to a family for that matter) - '2 females' often means '2 females' and their boyfriends/girlfriends/partners will be there regularly.

So who exactly do you rent to?

Agent Smith

Baby01032012 wrote: »

Once you don't put " rent allowance not accepted" in your add...which people still do. This is leaving you open to prosecution if the welfare recipient is so inclined.

Often wondered, Can you Say "Tenants must be in full time employment"

Musketeer4

pilly wrote: »

You can absolutely pick your tenants, it's up to you who lives in your house. However just be careful in the advertisement. You can't advertise for working professionals.

Why can't you advertise for working professionals?

tuisginideach wrote: »

I don't rent to 2 females either (nor to a family for that matter) - '2 females' often means '2 females' and their boyfriends/girlfriends/partners will be there regularly.

So you don't let to families,
You don't let to single people

So who exactly do you let to? Hermits?

Michael D Not Higgins

Agent Smith wrote: »

Often wondered, Can you Say "Tenants must be in full time employment"

No because that discriminates against rent allowance recipients which is not allowed by the update to the equality legislation.